The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-11
Black-Leg In Dallas County.

county, called yesterday Mt the Office
of Texas Farm and Ranch and re-
ported the death of two of his best
calves under peculiar circumstances;
also stating that many of his neigh
bors had suffered similar losses. The
Texas Farm and Ranch, with usual
promptness and energy, secured at its
own expense the services Of DIR. VIM.
Falsetter, an eminent veterinarian
now in the city. and had him make an
examination in order TO ascertain the
facts in the case accurately for the
benefit of its readers and the public
generally, and to avoid anything of an
unfounded sensation like that which
recently shook the State in regard to
pleuro-pneunonia. DIR. Folsetter is a
veterinarian of recognized ability and
large experience with diseases of cat
tie, both in Europe and in America.
He was for four years veterinary in
spector of the American Fat Stock
Show at Chicago; and hence his opin-
ion and report are all the more valu-
able. He went out yesterday morning,
made a close examination of Mr.. Ter
rers cattle and makes the following re-
porto the Farm and Ranch:
According to agreement with
you, l proceeded to the
farm of Mr.. Terrell, near
Dnncanville to examine the cases of
death of calves reported by him. On
arriving, the SYMPTOMS Of the animals
that had sickened and died were de-
scribed rs follows: Sudden lameness
in the hind legs, followed by extensive
swelling, great pain, cvinced by the
animals moving and g%roaning, falling
to the ground and unable to rise, death
inside of twenty-four hours. The first
ond had been dead for several days
and decomposition had taken place TO
such an extent as to render a post NOR
tenn valuelesss. Fortunately the Sec
ond one had died but recently, and
little or no change had taken place in
the tissues. On removing the right
hind leg and cutting through the large
lumbar and gluteal muscles Of the loin
and hip. the external layers of muscles
were very pale, denoting the absence
of blood in the tissues. But deeper
and along the course of the larger
blood vessles% congestion aud rupture
of some of the blood vessels appeared.
There were found blood clots, a gene
raj breaking down and necrosis of the
soft tissues, and a large quantity of
highly colored serum was found infil-
trating the cellular tissue. Upon OPEN
ing the abdominal cavity the stomach
and bowels presented a perfectly
healthy, normal condition. The stom-
ach was full of a highly nutritious
quantity offood. The liver was slight
ly congested, the portal vein containing
some clots, and the outer margin of
the large lobe showing traces of pro-
gressive fatty degeneration. Both kid
neys had undergone peculiar disin-
tegration and were rapidly passing to
gangrene, all traces of their capsules
being entirely obliterated. In the
bladder va, a small amount OF highly
colored urine. The mucous coat was
slightly colored, and the epithelial
layer peeled off easily. The heart
contained large clots of blood in both
ventricles, a portion Of which was
ante norton. The endocardium, and
also the epithelial layer of the pos
terror aorta, were studded with small
red spots OF blotches.
The disease was recognized as what
is commonly called black leg. As a
rule II affects cattle under one year
old that r fed on a
rich heterogeneous diet. Treatment
should be of a preventive character, as
IL is seldom that a cure can be effected.
Prepare from one-half to one pound
of epson salts, the minimum to calf
of six months old, the maximum to.
year-olds; to this add n ounce of
ginger ~(powdered) and the fourth of
an ounce or about a t~easpoonful of
saltpetre-all dissolved in one quart